Pitchers who rake: Zack’s the Wheel deal in his fifth start of the season

On the mound, at the plate or running the bases... In his fifth start of the season, no accomplishment was too small for Zack Wheeler.

The right-hander pitched seven scoreless innings while striking out 11 batters. He allowed five hits and no walks over 105 electric pitches to lead the Mets to a 9-0 win over the Phillies on Tuesday night at Citi Field.

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Yet, somehow, when looking back at his brilliant mid-April start, fans may fondly remember Wheeler’s tenacity at the plate more than his strength on the mound.

Wheeler became the first 100/100 pitcher of the season after throwing and hitting the ball 100-plus mph.

"Pitching is obviously first but we work a lot on hitting,” Wheeler said. “We take pride in it. We want to go up there and do well as a staff and not give them an easy out.”

Zack Wheeler pops one over the Great Wall of Flushing at Citi Field. (Elsa/Getty)

The Mets offense had been struggling to record hits with runners in scoring position. The Mets entered Tuesday having left 174 runners on base this season, tied for fourth in the majors and third in the National League. Only the Phillies (177) and the Dodgers (175) had left more runners on base in the NL.

Perhaps all they needed for a change in fortune was a pitcher who could rake.

With Wilson Ramos on second and Luis Guillorme on first in the second inning, Wheeler ripped a two-run double to the right-field corner to put the Mets on the board with a 2-0 lead.

Brandon Nimmo hit a grounder to Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez that should have ended the inning on a routine 4-3 play. But Hernandez let the ball slip right past him as Nimmo reached base on an error and Wheeler scored all the way from second.

The 28-year-old crushed the first home run of his big-league career on a bullet to left field in the fourth inning. The home run left Wheeler’s bat on a 101.4 mph exit velocity, per Statcast.Wheeler hacked at the first pitch from Phillies starter Zach Eflin on both the two-run double and the solo homer. He rounded the bases grinning ear to ear as the Mets crowd celebrated a 4-0 lead.

Wheeler ended his night at the plate going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored.

In case a four-run lead wasn’t enough against the power-hitting Phillies, Todd Frazier smacked the fifth grand slam of his career in the fifth inning of Tuesday’s blowout win. The home run was even sweeter after the Phillies intentionally walked Jeff McNeil in order to get to Frazier.

Todd Frazier. (Elsa / Getty Images)

"Here we go again,” Frazier said. “That’s the second time they intentionally walk somebody to get to me and it’s like alright, time to step up. I’ve been doing it my whole life and it’s just one of those things where I’m like, ‘Get out ball, get out ball,’ and it did. And it was real exciting.”

The Mets pulled away from their division rivals on an 8-0 lead while Wheeler was still dealing. The Mets right-hander said he gears the intensity level up a notch against a division foe like the Phillies.

“These guys are one of the best teams in the league, definitely in our division,” Wheeler said. “You want to go out there and put up zeros every time. You really want to put it to them and win these ballgames because they’re big.”

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Two of Wheeler’s 11 strikeouts came against Bryce Harper. The outfielder ended Tuesday at the plate going 0-for-3, after getting ejected in the fourth inning on Monday for arguing balls and strikes.

The tension from Monday’s game took effect on Tuesday night. Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso were consecutively hit by pitches off two relievers in the seventh inning of the Mets’ 5-1 win against the Phillies on Monday.

Mets reliever Jacob Rhame, who later said he was not retaliating, hurled a pair of high pitches that sailed over Rhys Hoskins’ head with two outs in the ninth inning. Hoskins was heated. As he considered charging Rhame on the mound, the Mets bench emptied and the Phillies bench stirred. Both bullpens jogged onto the field, but that’s as far as a potential fracas went on Tuesday night.

"A pitch got away and (Hoskins) took offense to it, so that’s pretty much what it was,” Frazier said. "It’s baseball. You never know what’s going to happen. We’ll see (if it carries over).”